Online COVID-19 Resources for Caregivers

Latest Updates

• Updates on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore
• Covid-19 rules will remain during CNY period in view of likely Omicron surge
• Booster shot must be taken within 270 days after 2nd dose to remain fully vaccinated
• Accelerating Booster Vaccination Programme
• Revised healthcare protocols in the management of COVID-19 cases from 6 January 2022
• Commencement of COVID-19 Vaccination for 5 to 11-Year-Olds
• Doctors answer questions about vaccinating children against Covid-19
• Updates to Safe Management Measures from 1 Feb 2022
• Updates to Singapore's vaccination programme

This page contains consolidated latest COVID-19 information on:

1. Official and useful websites/ apps

   • Resources for Vaccination, COVID Testing, Healthcare Protocol

2. Assistance and support

3. Useful online resources for caregivers

Official and Useful Websites/ Apps

Click here for the full list of official COVID-19 sources.

Updates on COVID-19 situation:

• MOH
• GOV.SG
• Resources
• Safedistancing.sg 

To subscribe to updates on the go:

• Whatsapp
• Telegram
• Facebook
• Instagram

Vaccination

 General Information

• Register for Vaccination
  • FAQ on Vaccination
• Who can take the COVID-19 Vaccine
• Vaccination Exercise for Students
• Covid-19 vaccines are safe

Tips

• Dos and don’ts before-and after your COVID-19 jab
• Avoid strenuous physical activity 7 days post vaccination

Resources for Caregivers

• Social Story Kit on Vaccination Management 
• What to expect on COVID-19 vaccination day for students in Special Education Schools
• Webinar on Covid-19 Vaccination for caregivers (5-11 years old)

COVID Testing

General Information

• COVID-19 Swab Test All You Need To Know
• How swab tests are conducted
• Antigen Rapid Test (ART) self-test kit
• Antigen Rapid Test (ART) self-test kits authorized for use in Singapore
• Expanded venues for COVID-19 Testing for symptomatic individuals during weekends

Tips

• To Dos with positive ART test
• To Dos with positive PCR test
• What to do if you have tested positive for COVID-19: 10 important steps
• Testing positive for Covid-19: Where do you seek help and what kind of treatment do you need?
• Guide to Performing COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test (ART) on Children 2-7 years 

Resources for Caregivers

• Special Care Kit COVID-19 resources to support special needs individuals
• What should I do if my care recipient is tested positive?

Healthcare Protocol:

Protocol 1 - I am unwell

• Eligible for Home Recovery Programme 
• Not eligible for Home Recovery Programme 

Protocol 2 - I am well but test positive

Protocol 3-  I am a close contact

• What to do if served with a health risk warning 
• What to do if not served with a health risk warning 

For medical treatment/ advice:

• Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs)
  The Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs), as well as polyclinics, will provide special subsidies for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents diagnosed with respiratory illnesses (e.g. common cold). To locate the nearest PHPC, click here.

• Singapore COVID-19 Symptom Checker
  For persons with flu-like symptoms to determine whether they should monitor their symptoms for a few more days or go see a doctor, as well as information about where to get medical attention.
  If you are feeling chest pain/ breathless/ gasping for air, or have any other emergency concerns, please call 995 immediately.

• KKH Urgent Paediatric Advice Line (UPAL)
  KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) new pilot online service for parents and caregivers to seek advice for common paediatric conditions (for children below the age of 17 years) such as fever, cough, diarrhoea, vomitting, and common injuries. Available from 8.00am to 11.00pm daily.

• SCDAS Dental Resources for COVID-19 Circuit Breaker
  The Special Care Dentistry Association of Singapore has developed resources for caregivers and seniors on how to take care of their teeth, gums and dentures. Updates will also be posted on SCDAS facebook page.

When you need to head out:

• Keep track of the close contacts that you have met, launch ‘TraceTogether' mobile app or token.
  • Only TraceTogether Token or App are allowed for SafeEntry check-in. Scanning of QR codes with a mobile phone camera or the Singpass app, will be discontinued.
  • Collect your Token at any Community Club/Centre (CC). Enter your postal code to find the CCs near you through https://token.gowhere.gov.sg/
  • Visit any CC or Token replacement booth in selected malls for a free replacement if your Token is faulty or out of battery. 

• Check crowd level of the mall you intend to visit: www.spaceout.gov.sg
• Check crowd level of the park you intend to visit: http://safedistparks.nparks.gov.sg/
• Wear a mask
  • Specially designed see-through face masks with a plastic transparent window at the mouth area can be purchased here. This will help members of the deaf community, who rely on lip-reading to complement sign language. Read more about it here.
• Take precautionary measures. The following articles will provide insights on how to keep you and your family safe:
  • Infographic on fighting against COVID-19 
  • Disability considerations during the COVID-19 Outbreak 

Assistance and Support

To support Singaporeans financially and emotionally during this challenging time, the government has put in place financial assistance schemes and opened up new online communication channels for those facing stress, anxiety and marital challenges. For a summary on all the government schemes and services available during this period, please visit https://www.supportgowhere.gov.sg/ or download the MSF Info-Pack for practitioners at Supporting Families through COVID-19 Info-Pack.

To help persons with disabilities who may have difficulties complying with precautionary measures during COVID-19, MSF , NCSS and SG Enable have put together a circular for public officers and frontline staff, explaining these challenges and how to recognize and interact with persons with disabilities. Enforcement officers will exercise flexibility and understanding under such circumstances. 

Persons with disabilities, when approached by enforcement officers, can produce their official identification card (Safe Return Card or Public Transport Concession Card). Parents, caregivers or themselves can also approach a Social Service Agency (SSA) for a memo to explain that they are a registered member of the SSA or are attending a disability programme as an additional form of identification.

Financial Support

• Resilience Budget
  Address the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation to support public health, businesses and sectors under stress.

• COVID-19 Recovery Grant
  For workers in the lower to middle income households who are presently experiencing involuntary job loss, involuntary no-pay leave (NPL) or income loss due to the economic impact of COVID-19.

• The Courage Fund
  For low-income households with family member(s) diagnosed with COVID-19, on Stay-Home Notice (SHN), mandatory Leave of Absence (LOA) or Home Quarantine Order (QO).

• CDAC

  Measures for eligible families in the Chinese community who are affected by the COVID-19.

• SINDA Community Support Package

  Supports the financial needs of low-income families in the Indian community, in COVID-19 period.

• SGTeguhBersatu Taskforce (M3) – coalition of Malay/Muslim organizations

  Resources to support the Malay/Muslim community affected by COVID-19.

• The Eurasian Association

  Provides assistance and guidance to Eurasians from underprivileged backgrounds, especially the elderly and families at risk.

• YMCA Financial Assistance and Capability for Employment Scheme
  

  Extends short-term emergency financial aid to needy families and provides meaningful work training opportunities for individuals with special needs.

 

IT Support

• NEU PC Plus Programme
  Offers low-income households with student or person with disabilities the opportunity to own a brand new computer at an affordable price. Together with industry and community partners, IMDA has enhanced the NEU PC Plus programme to make digitalization more accessible to those who need it, such as low-income students who require digital access for Home-Based Learning.
  

• Engineering Good
  With the shift to Working from Home and Home Based Learning, laptops and computers are in high demand. Engineering Good is putting together/fixing old laptops and offering them to those who cannot afford one of their own.

Additional Help and Assistance

• The SG Assist and Good Hood apps can pair citizens who are in need of help for everyday errands with a nearby volunteer.

Emotional Support

During this challenging time, remember to take care of your emotional and mental well-being:

🤳 Stay connected with loved ones through phone / video calls.

👥 Look out for family and friends, make sure they are staying safe and coping well.

📞 Call a helpline if you feel weighed down and need to speak to someone.

• MOH COVID-19 Hotline: 1800 333 9999
  Address queries on the COVID-19 situation.

• National Care Hotline: 6202 6868 / 1800 202 6868
  Address the stress or anxiety callers face during the period.

• CPH Online Counselling
  Online counselling for individuals facing parenting, marital, pre-divorce or divorce issues.

• Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Hotline: 6389 2222
  Address your mental well-being.

• PAVE Integrated Services for Individual and Family Protection: 6555 0390

• List of Community Helplines
  Call these helplines if you need emotional or psychological support.

• Children's Society Tinklefriend
  Provides support, advice, and information to lonely and distressed children, especially in situations when their parents or main caregivers are unavailable. 

• Helpline: 1800 2744 788 (available from Mon to Fri, 2.30pm to 5.00pm).
• Tinklefriend Online Chat (available from Mon to Thu, 2.30pm to 7.00pm and Fri, 2.30pm to 5.00pm).

Self-care Resources

• Self-Care Series
  Changi General Hospital (CGH) has developed a series of self-care resources to provide individuals with resilience building activities and strategies:

• Thriving while Working from Home
• Essential Self-Care for Essential Work
• Out of Sight but not Out of Mind

Hourly Priority Shopping for Vulnerable Groups

• NTUC Fairprice
  

  Exclusive to persons with disabilities, the Pioneer Generation, and pregnant women for safe distancing shopping. Every Monday: 1^st hour of opening hours at non-24 hours outlets; 7am to 8am at 24-hour outlets. 

• Dairy Farm
  

  Exclusive for vulnerable groups and elderly. Tuesday / Wednesday: 1^st hour of opening hours at non-24 hour outlets; 8am to 9am at 24-hour outlets. Valid at Cold Storage, Giant, Market Place and Jasons Deli.

Useful Online Resources for Caregivers

Educational Resources

• School Closure Essential Guide
  Stay home survival tips, daily schedule, 4-week activity planner, 70+ simple play ideas for toddlers & preschoolers.
• MOE Parent Kit
  

  Includes information regarding safe management measures implemented in schools and other Back to School arrangements. It also includes tips on how you can guide and prepare your child to adjust back to school and the ‘new normal’. You can also tune in to MOE facebook page for updates.

• HBL guides for parents:
  
  • HBL Part 1: Myths, facts and tips for parents of Primary, Secondary and JC/CI students.
  • HBL Part 2: Tips for parents of Primary and Lower Secondary students.
  • HBL Part 3: Suggestions on how to manage common situations and resources for parents.
  • HBL Part 4: Recommended for parents of Secondary and JC/CI students.

• Staying home on weekends
• Survival Guide for Family
• Educational Resource Package (with slides and videos)
  To help children and persons with disabilities develop self-care skills and understand routine changes and protective measures due to COVID-19.
• The Department of Child Development (DCD) at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) and partners have developed a brief message using stories for preschool children that talks about COVID-19. The story tells of how the protagonist (Wagga) learns about COVID-19 and things he does while 'staying at home'. See facebook post here.
  
  • Wagga learns about COVID-19
  • Wagga stays at home
    

• As your child will be heading back to school soon, we hope these resources from Thye Hua Kwan will be helpful in preparing your child for the expected changes to come:

Prepare your child for transition back to pre-school:

1. Helping your child understand what to expect at school (link to Social Story: Going Back to School)
2. Helping your child understand importance of wearing a face mask (link to Social Story: Wear a Face Mask)

• When your child returns to school, you may find these sets of resources jointly curated by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and SG Enable useful in helping you better manage this transition:
  • Preparing your child to go back to school
  • Settling into the new normal
    

• Tips to help Children with Special Education Needs with Safe Management Measures 
  A guide for parents on how to help their children adapt to mask-wearing and provide emotional support as they return to school. You can also find advice and tips specifically for children with hearing loss and visual impairment in this article. 

• Social Stories
  To help children and persons with autism / intellectual disability understand key concepts like social distancing, wearing masks and having good hygiene etc.
  • Understanding Social Distancing

• Useful Resources on COVID-19 and Intellectual Disability
  For persons with intellectual disabilities (easy-read versions), support staff, caregivers and volunteers, put together by the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD).

• Coronavirus: A book for children
  Digital book with illustrations to help children understand about the COVID-19 situation (answering questions about quarantine, how you can catch the virus and what happens if you get ill)

Activities or Events

• MSF Families for Life
  Family activities organized by MSF to create a platform for families to bond and interact with each other.
• Inclusive Sport Fitness Resource
  SportSG has prepared some stay at home inclusive sport fitness activities so that persons with disabilities and their caregivers can continue to stay active.

• CARElendar mobile app
  Search for inclusive events / activities for persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

Resources for Caregivers/ Families

Knowledge/ Information

• 7 Strategies to Support Children with Special Needs during COVID-19
  

  Tips for parents and caregivers looking after their loved ones with special needs.

• Navigation Map
  A navigation map that provides information on common caregiving issues and help navigate common caregiving scenarios.

• Raising Children Network
  Practical, expert child health and parenting information and activities covering children aged 0-15 years, and tips for families to cope with the COVID-19. 

• NUH COVID-19 Resources for Parents and Caregivers
  

  National University Hospital (NUH) has developed COVID-19 resources and information on how to care for your children, including tips on encouraging learning through daily routines, and helping them cope with the changes and uncertainty brought about by the outbreak. Children with special needs will also require extra support to understand what is happening around them, to feel safe, and keep up with healthy routines.

• I Can Recover at Home!: A COVID Home Recovery Guide for Families & Kids
  Handy guide for parents and caregiver with children going through Singapore’s Home Recovery Programme for COVID.
  
  
• Dear Doctor video series
  

  A 4-session digital case discussion series by the Lien Foundation in partnership with the Child Development Unit at National University Hospital, SG Enable & Superhero Me which aims to empower caregivers of children with special needs.

• TAKEAWAY LIVE video series
  

  TAKEAWAY LIVE is a community effort by Superhero Me and Lien Foundation to continue inclusion work in Covid19 times. In this series brought to you by the Mediacorp Enable Fund, four caregivers shared on how they’ve taken charge of the uncertainty at home and four experts shared practical knowledge of building family resilience.

• Early Intervention
  Targeted at new caregivers whose child has been newly assessed to require early intervention support, SG Enable has designed a series of resources to help caregivers understand the importance of early intervention, navigate the EIPIC application process better, and learn how they can support their child during this journey. To find out more, download the EIPIC information pack and series of parent’s guides:
  • Parent’s Guide: Introduction to Early Intervention
  • Parent’s Guide: Navigating EIPIC Application and Community Resources
  • Parent’s Guide: Engaging Your Child

• Online activities for Singaporeans.

• Disability related e-books

• Smart Home Technologies for Independent Living
  This guide provides information on how smart home devices can benefit persons with disabilities and caregivers. Learn more about how these devices can be customized to increase ease of use over everyday appliances and improve accessibility at home. 

• Virtual reality (VR) modules
  Helps caregivers better understand how their loved ones experience the world as well as teach them life skills. 

• Advice on helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) cope during COVID-19
  Help for parents and caregivers to thrive during this unprecedented time of isolation by Dr Temple Grandin, International expert for Autism.

• Prepare your child for a fun-filled holiday
  A holiday resource package that helps children with educational special needs to cope with   
  changes and enjoy their holidays.

    
Courses

• PA Courses
  A centralized platform of initiatives and resources to support caregivers and persons with disabilities through COVID-19.
  

• LearnIn BeTheWire
  

  To equip persons with disabilities as well as their caregivers with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate digital services.

  • English Playlist
  • Chinese Playlist

• Online courses to learn new skills:
  • Udemy
  • LessonsGoWhere

Resources to Engage Children

Educational Resources

• Online Learning
  

  • A caregiver’s role is important in a child’s development journey. To empower caregivers to play a bigger role in intervention on a day-to-day basis, Thye Hua Kwan has designed some easy-to-follow resources you may use to keep your child’s development on track at home: 

    Continue your child’s development at home:

    • Encouraging interaction through play (link to Encourage Interaction by Playing Games)
    • Strengthening communication skills through daily routines (link to Mealtime and Language Development)
    • Building ability to respond through play (link to Responding to People)
    • Using PECS to develop language skills (link to Picture Exchange Communication Guide)
    • Keeping your child calm and grounded through simple massages (link to Deep Massage resource)

  • Supporting your child in his or her developmental journey can be challenging at times. These resources by Fei Yue aims to provide you with tips on how you can actively help your child learn and develop, even at home.

    • Simple speech exercises you can do with your child
    • Getting your child comfortable with writing
    • Learning pronouns the fun way
    • Encouraging your child to read
    • Creating and managing routines
  • Indoor Learning Activities (ECDA has gathered indoor activities for young children)
  • BrainPOP
  • Khan Academy
  • Discovery Education
  • Scholastic
  • The Measured Mom (easy-to-use printables for preschool to Primary 3)
  • Literative (Reading materials and activities for children up to Primary 1)
  • Starfall (up to Primary 3)
  • Outschool (Classes led by qualified teachers)
  • e-learning for kids (Learning topics that are part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum)
  • Curiousity Stream (Documentaries)

• Mathematics
  
  • Beast Academy
  • SplashLearn (up to Primary 5)
  • Cool Math 4 Kids (Lessons, quizzes and games)
  • Math Game Time (Games, videos and workshops)

• Science and Technology
  • Science Kids (Lessons, experiments, games, quizzes, videos on science)
  • National Geographic Kids (Games, videos and information on animals)
  • Switch Zoo (Games, videos and information on animals)

• Others
  
  • Creative Bug (Artwork)
  • Online Art Classes
  • Tynker (Coding)
  • Highlights Kids (Activities and games)

YouTube Channels

• Crash Course Kids
  Primary School Science topics – Earth, Habitats, Space, Chemical Reactions, Engineering, and much more.

• Science Channel
  Learn about outer space, leading scientific exploration, new technology, earth science basics, & more with science videos & news from Science Channel.